The present invention relates to foldable portable telephones comprising a main body case provided with a plurality of manual keys, and a closure case connected to the main body case openably, and more particularly to such a foldable portable telephone wherein the closure case can be opened easily at the touch of a button.
FIGS. 17 and 18 show a foldable portable telephone which is already known and which comprises a main body case provided with a plurality of manual keys, and a closure case provided with a display and openably connected to the main body case. A pair of opposite hinge mechanisms are arranged at the junction of the main body case and the closure case, and the closure case can be opened or closed about an axis of rotation of the hinge mechanisms. One of the hinge mechanisms comprises a first barrel portion provided on the main body case, a first barrel portion provided on the closure case and aligned with the barrel portion, and a hinge pin fitted in the barrel portions centrally thereof. Similarly, the other hinge mechanism comprises a second barrel portion provided on the main body case, a second barrel portion provided on the closure case and aligned with the barrel portion, and a hinge pin fitted in the barrel portions centrally thereof.
When to be carried the foldable portable telephone described can be compacted by folding the closure case and is therefore not only convenient to carry but also can be free of the likelihood that the manual key will be depressed while in a bag or the like since the keys are covered with the closure case, hence safety. Further because the screen of the display is accommodated in the closure case as closed, the display can be protected from damage even if the portable telephone slips off to fall.
The foldable portable telephone shown in FIGS. 17 and 18 has recessed portions and recessed portions formed respectively in the main body case and the closure case at opposite sides thereof. The closure case closed as shown in FIG. 17 can be opened as shown in FIG. 18 by inserting the tip of a finger between the opposed pair of recessed portions forming a space as shown in FIG. 17. The closure case is thus openable by only one hand grasping the main body case, hence convenience.
However, when the finger tip is merely inserted between the main body case and the closure case to open the closure case of the conventional telephone shown in FIGS. 17 and 18, it is only to an intermediate position that the closure case can be opened, and the closure case opened to the intermediate position must be further pushed open in order to open the closure case to the full-open position shown in FIG. 18 The telephone has the problem that this procedure is difficult. Especially when the closure case has an increased weight due to the provision of the display which is large-sized, difficulty is encountered in opening the closure case with the finger tip.
Suppose the telephone has a spring for biasing the closure case toward an opening direction relative to the main body case, a latch slidably mounted on a side face of the main body case as shown in FIG. 19, a hook provided on the closure case, and a spring connected to the latch on the main body case, with a manual piece interposed therebetween. The closure case can then be made automatically openable merely by moving the manual piece, whereas it becomes necessary to provide the latch, hook, manual piece, spring, etc. in addition to the hinge mechanism. This entails the problem of making the telephone large-sized and complex to assemble. Further because the force of the spring biasing the closure case toward the opening direction when the case in its closed position is received by the latch and the hook provided on the respective cases, these cases are subjected directly to the force, which is likely to deform the cases. Furthermore, the latch and the hook each have a projection of acute angle and therefore have the problem of being hazardous.
Although the conventional foldable portable telephone is so adapted that the closure case can be held in two postures of different angles, i.e., in the fully closed position and the full-open position, it is desired that the closure case be holdable also in one or more intermediate positions so as to be positionable in a posture of desired angle for use.
A first object of the present invention is to provide a foldable portable telephone having a closure case which can be easily opened at the touch of a button.
To fulfill the first object, the present invention provides a foldable portable telephone which comprises a main body case provided with a plurality of manual keys, and a closure case connected to the main body case by a hinge mechanism for covering the manual keys, the hinge mechanism comprising:
a main body drive member in engagement with a barrel portion on the main body case and nonrotatable relative thereto,
a closure drive member in engagement with a barrel portion the closure case and nonrotatable relative thereto,
a prime mover mechanism provided between the main body drive member and the closure drive member for exerting a force for rotating the closure drive member in a direction to open the closure case,
a holding mechanism for holding the closure case closed in a closed position,
a manual button exposed to outside from the barrel portions on the main body case and the closure case and to be manipulated to open the closure case, and
a hold release mechanism for releasing the holding mechanism from the holding state in response to the manipulation of the manual button.
When the closure case of the telephone of the invention described is in a closed state, the holding mechanism is in operation to hold the closure case in the closed position. When the manual button is manipulated to open the closure case, the holding mechanism is released from the holding state, consequently initiating the prime mover mechanism into operation. This rotates the closure drive member, opening the closure case to a full-open position. When the closure case is to be closed, the case is pushed in a closing direction against a force exerted by the prime mover mechanism, whereby the case is rotated to the closed position. During this process, the holding mechanism functions to hold the closure case in the closed position.
Stated more specifically, a cam mechanism is formed in engaging portions of the main body drive member and the closure drive member, and an elastic member is provided between the main body drive member and the closure drive member for exerting a force for rotating the closure drive member in the closure case opening direction. The cam mechanism has a first cam curve portion and a second cam curve portion operable respectively in the first half and the second half of the process of rotation of the closure case from the closed position to an open position. The first cam curve portion is in the form of a cam curve capable of rotating the closure drive member in a direction to close the closure case with the force exerted by the elastic member. The second cam curve portion is in the form of a cam curve capable of rotating the closure drive member in the closure case opening direction with the force exerted by the elastic member. Thus, the first cam curve portion and the elastic member provide the holding mechanism, and the second cam curve portion and the elastic member provide the prime mover mechanism.
When the closure case is in the closed state in the specific construction described, the first cam portion of the cam mechanism is in operation, holding the closure case in its closed position with the force exerted by the elastic member. The cam mechanism is changed over from the first cam curve portion operating state to the second cam curve portion operating state by manipulating the manual button in this state. The operation of the second cam curve portion biases the closure drive member into rotation toward the closure case opening direction to open the closure case to the full-open position.
When the closure case is pushed toward the closing direction from the full-open position, the first cam curve portion is brought into operation, with the second cam curve portion driven in the opposite direction, whereby the closure drive member is biased into rotation in the closure case closing direction to close the closure case to the fully closed position.
The present invention provides a foldable portable telephone which comprises a main body case provided with manual keys, and a closure case connected to the main body case by a pair of hinge mechanisms arranged in alignment for covering the manual keys. One of the hinge mechanisms has the same construction as described above. Accordingly, the closure case can be opened merely by manipulating the manual button of the above-mentioned one hinge mechanism.
Further stated more specifically, the main body case and the closure case are provided respectively with cylindrical barrel portions arranged in alignment with each other, and the main body drive member, closure drive member, prime mover mechanism, holding mechanism, manual button and hold release mechanism which constitute the above-mentioned one hinge mechanism are brought together into a hinge assembly in the form of a round rod, the hinge assembly being fitted into the barrel portions on the main body case 1 and the closure case. The main body drive member is in engagement with the barrel portion on the main body case nonrotatably relative thereto, while the closure drive member is in engagement with the barrel portion on the closure case nonrotatably relative thereto. The manual button is exposed to outside from the barrel portions. With the specific construction described, the main body case and the closure case can be connected together by preparing the hinge assembly as a single unit and fitting the hinge assembly into the barrel portions 13, 22 of the main body case and the closure case. This assures a simplified assembling procedure.
The closure case can be opened to the full-open position at the touch of the manual button, i.e., simply by manipulating the button, so that the foldable portable telephone of the present invention described is easy to use.
A second object of the present invention is to provide a foldable portable telephone having a closure case which is easy to open at the touch of manual buttons even when the closure case has a relatively great weight.
To fulfill the second object, the present invention provides a foldable portable telephone comprising a main body case provided with a plurality of manual keys, and a closure case connected to the main body case by a pair of hinge mechanisms arranged in alignment for covering the manual keys . Each of the hinge mechanisms comprises:
a main body drive member connected to an end portion of the main body case and rotatable with the main body case,
a closure drive member connected to an end portion of the closure case and rotatable with the closure case,
a prime mover mechanism provided between the main body drive member and the closure drive member for exerting a force for rotating the closure drive member in a direction to open the closure case,
a holding mechanism for holding the closure case closed in a closed position,
a manual button to be manipulated to open the closure case, and
a hold release mechanism for releasing the holding mechanism from the holding state in response to the manipulation of the manual button.
When the closure case of the telephone of the invention described is in a closed state, the holding mechanisms of the hinge mechanisms are in operation to hold the closure case in the closed position. When the manual buttons of the hinge mechanisms are manipulated at the same time to open the closure case, the holding mechanisms are released from the holding state, consequently initiating the prime mover mechanisms of the hinge mechanisms into operation. This rotates the closure drive members of the hinge mechanisms at the same time, opening the closure case to a full-open position. When the closure case is to be closed, the case is pushed in a closing direction against the force exerted by the prime mover mechanisms of the hinge mechanisms whereby the case is rotated to the closed position. During this process, the holding mechanisms of the hinge mechanisms function to hold the closure case in the closed position.
The closure case can be opened to the full-open position at the touch of the manual buttons i.e., simply by manipulating the buttons, so that the foldable portable telephone of the present invention described is easy to use. Since the two prime mover mechanisms (elastic members) provided in the pair of hinge mechanisms exert forces to open the closure case, the closure case, even if having a relatively great weight, can be opened with a sufficiently great force which is uniform widthwise of the case.
A third object of the present invention is to provide a foldable portable telephone having a closure case which can be opened at the touch of a manual button and which is adapted to reduce the impact produced by opening the closure case even when the closure case has a relatively great weight.
To fulfill the third object, the present invention provides a foldable portable telephone comprising a main body case provided with manual keys, and a closure case connected to the main body case by a pair of hinge mechanisms arranged in alignment for covering the manual keys.
At least one of the hinge mechanisms comprises:
a main body drive member connected to an end portion of the main body case and rotatable with the main body case,
a closure drive member connected to an end portion of the closure case and rotatable with the closure case,
a prime mover mechanism provided between the main body drive member and the closure drive member for exerting a force for rotating the closure drive member in a direction to open the closure case,
a holding mechanism for holding the closure case closed in a closed position,
a manual button to be manipulated to open the closure case, a hold release mechanism for releasing the holding mechanism from the holding state in response to the manipulation of the manual button, and
a damper mechanism for applying a braking force to the rotation of the closure case in the second half of the process of opening the closure case.
When the closure case of the foldable portable telephone of the invention is in the closed state, the holding mechanism operates to hold the closure case in the closed position. When the manual button is manipulated to open the closure case, the case is released from the holding state by the holding mechanism, with the result that the prime mover mechanism is initiated into operation. This rotates the closure drive member, opening the closure case to a full-open position. In the second half of the process of opening the closure case, the damper mechanism operates, applying a braking force to the rotation of the closure drive member relative to the main body drive member to reduce the opening speed of the closure case and consequently reducing the impact to be produced when the closure case is brought to the full-open position. When the closure case is to be closed, the case is pressed in the closing direction against the force exerted by the prime mover mechanism, whereby the case is rotated to the closed position. The holding mechanism operates in this process to hold the closure case in the closed position.
The present invention further provides a foldable portable telephone comprising a main body case provided with manual keys, and a closure case connected to the main body case by a pair of hinge mechanisms arranged in alignment for covering the manual keys. At least one of the hinge mechanisms has the construction of the invention described above. Accordingly, the closure case can be opened by manipulating the manual button of the hinge mechanism.
Stated more specifically, one of two members movable relative to each other with the opening movement of the closure case is provided with a frictional resistance portion slidable in contact with the other member to provide the damper mechanism. With this specific construction, the other member comes into sliding contact with the frictional resistance portion provided on the above-mentioned one member in the second half of the process of opening the closure case to reduce the opening speed of the case.
The foldable portable telephone of the invention described is not only so adapted that the closure case can be opened to the full-open position at the touch of the manual button but the impact to be produced upon the closure case reaching the full-open position can also be reduced.
A fourth object of the present invention is to provide a foldable portable telephone having a closure case which can be opened easily at the touch of a manual button and which can be opened to different adjusted angles.
To fulfill the fourth object, the present invention provides a foldable portable telephone comprising a main body case 1 provided with manual keys, and a closure case connected to the main body case by a hinge mechanism for covering the manual keys. The hinge mechanism comprises:
a main body drive member connected to an end portion of the main body case and rotatable with the main body case,
a closure drive member connected to an end portion of the closure case and rotatable with the closure case,
a prime mover mechanism provided between the main body drive member and the closure drive member for exerting a force for rotating the closure drive member in a direction to open the closure case,
a holding mechanism for holding the closure case closed in a closed position,
a manual button to be manipulated to open the closure case,
a hold release mechanism for releasing the holding mechanism from the holding state in response to the manipulation of the manual button, and
an opening angle adjusting mechanism for holding the closure case at one or a plurality of opening angles in the process of closing the closure case from a full-open position.
When the closure case of the foldable portable telephone of the invention is in the closed state, the holding mechanism operates to hold the closure case in the closed position. When the manual button is manipulated to open the closure case, the case is released from the holding mechanism, with the result that the prime mover mechanism is initiated into operation. This rotates the closure drive member, opening the closure case to a full-open position. When the closure case is to be closed, the case is pressed in the closing direction against the force exerted by the prime mover mechanism, whereby the case is rotated to the closed position. The opening angle adjusting mechanism operates in this process to hold the case at one or more opening angles. When the closure case is further pressed in the closing direction, the holding mechanism operates to hold the case in a fully closed position.
With the foldable portable telephone of the invention described, the closure case can be opened not only to the full-open position at the touch of the manual button but also to different adjusted angles.